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On September 10, Anti- will release the new album by MAN MAN entitled On Oni Pond. The band’s latest features an arresting reconstruction of MAN MAN’s visionary sound – stripped to its core and rebuilt as something new and compelling yet still very much MAN MAN. This marked shift is a direct result of an intensive collaboration between the band’s frontman, Honus Honus, and drummer Pow Pow, who has assumed a new-found prominence in the songwriting process, bringing an exhilarating array of new rhythmic ideas to the mix. “With this album we got to do something that very few bands or creative people get to do which is a reboot, and one that feels natural,” comments Honus Honus.

The compositions were further honed by the band members along with producer Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, First Aid Kit) into a compelling mash-up of Fear Of Music era Talking Heads, classic soul, psychedelia, hip hop, and 50’s rock and roll. With its imaginative yet economical rhythms, huge hooks, and overriding sense of urgency, On Oni Pond melds these seemingly disparate influences into an unexpectedly lush, melodic album, exquisitely consolidated by the band’s unique and affecting vision.

“This is a strange and beautiful record but it’s also head on and fearless,” says Honus Honus. “It’s not a record that’s going to flirt with you, this is a record that’s asking you out. If you get into bed with us there’s going to be a relationship.”

On Oni Pond also expresses Honus Honus’ evolution as a lyricist. Consistently inventive, the lyrics now have a new poignancy and insight that makes this album as personal and reflective as it is joyous. The thematic centerpiece of the record, and first single, is the bittersweet, deconstructed soul anthem “Head On.” Simultaneously melancholy and inspiring, the track features a unique take on personal resilience exemplified by the lines, “Are you dreaming of death? Are there ghosts in your chest?” and “I need new skin for this old skeleton of mine ‘cause this one that I’m in has let me down once again over time,” which build into the refrain “Hold onto your heart, hold it high above flood waters, hold onto your heart, never let nobody drag it under.”

With On Oni Pond, Man Man has delivered a beautifully weird and unforgettable collection of songs. From the pounding syncopated drumming, psychedelic organ and impassioned crooning of “Pink Wonton” to the sneering new wave dub of “King Shiv” and the big beat bratty swagger of “Loot My Body,” this is an undeniably ambitious band reborn to new, focused greatness.

It has been a lengthy hiatus, but we have finally finished our latest “masterpiece” and named it after an incredible indigenous-rights movement that is happening right now called Idle No More.

I was born and raised in Montreal and spent a lot of time on the Kahnawake Mohawk Indian reservation. Much of my juvenile delinquent training came from years of tripping out there with my best friends.

I began the Shrines in 1999 with the blessings from my brothers in The Spaceshits, right after we disbanded. The dream was to make something reminiscent of Sun Ra, James Brown, and Otis Redding with a hint of The Velvet Underground, Love, The Monks and about a million other influences that riddled my LSD-soaked brain at the tender age of 22.

The Shrines was my pirate ship and we sailed many a turbulent sea, spreading our music “like peanut butter” all over the world. We celebrated our cult “underground” status and became the kings we are through word of mouth and by making an “aural eyegasm” that has often been called the “wildest show on earth.”

Idle No More is probably the most refined piece of music we have made to date. The songs are about the state of the world we live in today.

“Born to Die” is an apocalyptic ode to the heinous war machine that to this day ruins our lives.

“Bite My Tongue” is about the unsung heroes who are forced to live in utter poverty but who have made all the revolutions possible and are being silenced as you read this. Look up “The Invaders” from Memphis and you will see what I am talking about. http://www.prichardsmith.com/portfolio/the-invaders/

“Thorn in Her Pride” is a girl-power anthem and a celebration of the goddesses who help raise the children of the revolution.

“Luckiest Man” is about me and how lucky I was to receive the proper mental care I needed during a very steep and lengthy plummet into madness.

“Better Luck Next Time” is velvety pop to soothe the ears.

“Darkness” is about the ugly beasts that must be tamed inside of us all. It was also my attempt to do something as real as Nina Simone.

“Pray for Lil” is an ode to my wife, who continually saves my life and makes me a complete human being, human doing, and human going.

“Bad Boy” is a requiem for Bobby Ubangi, who was and still is Atlanta’s Finest.

“So Wild” is a double requiem for two other Jays I have lost over the last few years, Jay Reatard and Jay “Berserker” Montour. RIP.

“Yes I Can’t” is a little ironic number named after Obama’s attempt at changing the police state.

“I Got Made” is a Joe Pesci trip heavily inspired by the Cosa Nostra.

And last, but not least, is “Of Madness I Dream,” a mirror image of what is happening to the world as we speak.

Originally, I was going to call the album Of Madness I Dream, but then I became very enthused about the amazing work of the Idle No More movement. Everyone I asked had never heard of it, so I contacted the leaders of the movement and, with their permission, decided to rename the album Idle No More in hopes that it would increase the world’s awareness of this miracle that is taking place for the indigenous peoples of the world. If you are not familiar with Idle No More, look it up and GET INVOLVED!

It took a long time to make, but we are very proud and pleased to bring you this album. I hope that the future will brighten up every time it is played. Ultimately, John and Yoko were absolutely right: LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED!

After their last album "Bambi's Dilemma" which shows us pop and punk tunes with MELT-BANANA style, they released a live album under name of MELT-BANANA Lite full of noise. New album "fetch" will be their 7th album as studio recording album. They started making this new album from January 2011, and the demos were almost finished in March 2011. And that big earthquake struck. They said, "After the earthquake something has been changed and we could not concentrate on the recording and it stopped on the way..." After a while, they started to face to music again.

"We tried to listen to our own feeling and our own heart. We built up the songs with one sound by one sound, choosing one tone by one tone, connecting, being our natural self."

I guess that's why I feel comfortable listening to their songs.

With releasing "fetch", they are touring in USA/Canada. Since last summer 2012, they have been performing live as duo, and as their tour name "2 do what 2 fetch", they tour as duo for this tour too. It is almost 20 years since they started MELT-BANANA, and it is quite a challenging change. Yako says, "Using PC for shows, we can have much more possibilities, like we can use more samples and more various sounds of drums and synth. We are still on the way and there are still many things that we need to do and we want to do. So far we are having fun challenging. Trying new things is always good. ^o^"

I went to see their show several times after they changed their style as duo, I was quite impressed because I felt no problem with them playing as duo, and I could see them stepping forward to what they explore. And it sounded "live band".

"We had been playing with human drummer and human bassist since we started band, and we ourselves need to feel band sounds on the stage. So we are trying to make the sound real. It is difficult and can not be the same as real drum sounds, of course. But we would like to keep live aspect and we would like people to enjoy our show as live performance, and hope people understand what we do and what we try and they
enjoy our music."

Check out MELT-BANANA new album "fetch" and upcoming live shows! They always show us their new way and new challenge and possibility.

Hell Shovel is the psychedelic endeavor of Jeff Clarke from Montreal’s Demon’s Claws. The band has been slightly on the reclusive side since it’s inception releasing a few albums in extreme limited runs through labels such as the German based Sound Of Cobra Records. Over the past year, it seems as though Clarke has focused his attention on bringing Hell Shovel out of the dark and placing it onto your LSD soaked brain. The band toured the U.S. with Acid Baby Jesus last year and is set to release their debut LP through Slovenly on May 29th